7th post

Is this a problem???

Let me just say, firstly, you all have been wonderful, with advice for me regarding my new maid. The very fact I have this space to discuss her is a godsend! Heaven knows I can't b!#ch about her to my husband...the last thing he wants to talk about when he gets home from work is what the maid did or didn't do that day...and I know I'm not the only wife on the planet with this problem!OK....here's the new problem...or is it? Joy told me yesterday that her long-lost cousin, whom she hasn't spoken to for years, called up the house while I was out. This person had apparently gotten our number from Joy's relatives back home when she called up there. So they chit-chatted and this woman is apparently working for a family in KL somewhere....Here's where I see a potential problem...call me paranoid but...Joy told me she hasn't any friends or relatives working in Malaysia...I'm worried they'll start exchanging notes and scheming (I am paranoid!)...I'm worried that this cousin person will teach her to start demanding her weekends off, or worse, run away to make more money as a freelance cleaner or PROSTITUTE! Good GOD! Joy seems pretty innocent so far....I mean, she didn't even know what chicken nuggets and 'air-con' meant! I bought her an Oxford Malaysian Learner's Dictionary to improve her wordpower and communication skills, "Cooking For Expats" so she can pick up some proper hygiene and cooking terms and techniques (she didn't know what SCRUB and PEEL meant!)...(btw, this book is brilliant for your domestic help who can read English, it is so basic and technical (with colour photos), and the recepies are easy and foolproof!). Joy is slowing fitting in here, and I'd hate to see her developing bad habits or a bad attitude. Even Milo seems to be appreciating her more these days, so we're happy with the progress she's made in our home.What should I do? I need the phone to be accessible so I can call her up during the day, and she can call me if there's an emergency. I can tell her all the outgoing numbers will be on the bill every month to deter her from phoning out. But I can't barr calls from coming in (or can I???), and I gather her cousin has quite a bit of freedom to come and go, and maybe even her own handphone. She may be calling Joy up all the time now, when I'm at work/out. This sucks lah! And another thing I wanted your feedback on is this...the TV. I know there are some havoc Phillipino serials on during the day (and by now, I'm sure the cousin has told her about them) on TV2. Should I allow her to watch them, if/when her house chores are done? I actually don't mind that...as Esther (my old maid) watched them. Joy's usually done with her chores by lunchtime....but still, I don't want to spoil her. At least Esther had other outlets for her boredom - she read novels or did the Sudoku puzzles in the paper. I just feel that it's a little early (she's not even been three weeks with us yet) to be giving out treats at this point, though I'm generally quite pleased with her work and progress so far. I don't want to start anything that will eventually prove to be my own headache later on!How laaaah?!!